If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Re: Reds will look at bullpen for Chapman

From Jeff Fletcher of AOL Fanhouse - Volquez, Chapman Poised to Join Reds In Different Roles

Although it would have been logical to think that the Reds would move Chapman to the bullpen as a means of limiting his innings, Jocketty said Chapman has enough arm strength that he could continue to start through the end of September.

"He has a pretty resilient arm," Jocketty said, adding that there is still no timetable for Chapman's promotion, although it seems the time is coming near.

Re: Reds will look at bullpen for Chapman

I'm guessing Chapman comes up fairly soon. If Bailey is good to go when he starts throwing again, that's three high leverage bullpen arms. Add in LeCure when Volquez comes back and the Red pen will likely look like this;

Pretty impressive group of arms there. I'd guess LeCure as long man, with Bray as LOOGY, Masset as middle reliever, and Bailey, Chapman, and Rhodes as set-up men. This might also allow Baker a chance to use someone other than Cordero as closer occasionally. It will also almost certainly allow Baker a chance to use a good arm in high leverage situations throughout the game. With four former starters in the pen, they can also go multiple innings if needed as well. (This should really assist Leake and Volquez as they try to limit innings going forward.)

I'm guessing, because he needs innings, Chapman will go multiple innings to begin with. Two or three innings at a time, IMO, as starters fail to get through the sixth.

If Jocketty can find another starter, the pen becomes even stronger as well.

"You can learn little from victory. You can learn everything from defeat."
-- Christy Matthewson
"Show me a good loser and I'll show you an idiot."
-- Leo Durocher

Re: Reds will look at bullpen for Chapman

Chapman has stated he takes awhile to get loose which could cause him to have troubles in the pen. Not against the move as I think it could help him build confidence going into next season. I also wonder how Chapman feels about the possible move?

I have to think if he does well tonight we will see both Bray and Chapman called up.

Re: Reds will look at bullpen for Chapman

Originally Posted by fearofpopvol1

See, I think it is imminent. I think he'll be up before the ASB. I'd be surprised if he wasn't.

Unless someone gets hurt I don't think a promotion is imminent. My guess is he won't be up until sometime in August. There's too other guys ahead of him in the pecking order, Volquez, Burton, Bray, Bailey

Re: Reds will look at bullpen for Chapman

Originally Posted by KoryMac5

Chapman has stated he takes awhile to get loose which could cause him to have troubles in the pen. Not against the move as I think it could help him build confidence going into next season. I also wonder how Chapman feels about the possible move?

I have to think if he does well tonight we will see both Bray and Chapman called up.

Re: Reds will look at bullpen for Chapman

I wouldn't be shocked to learn that this was the plan all along for Chapman -- pitch him as a starter to get his innings up and let him work on things, then move him to the bullpen down the stretch for a late-season call up to the majors.

I think the plan might've been sidetracked a bit when he dominated in spring training and competed for a roster spot, but I don't doubt that Jocketty considered this a possible outcome from day 1.

Re: Reds will look at bullpen for Chapman

I repeat for the umpteenth time - 125 IP in the AAA rotation and 20 to 25 IP in the Reds pen in August and September. It prepares him for a bigger load next year when he's likely rotation bound, gets his feet wet and acclimation to the big leagues out of the way and hopefully helps the Reds down the stretch in the race. Until then, there are other arms to audition in various roles including Wood, Maloney, Bray, Burton and maybe Valiquette while also possibly getting another look at Fisher and Del Rosario and trying to figure how Bailey, Volquez and Lecure all fit.

The Reds don't need to jeopardize 2011 and Chapman's likely spot in the rotation by cutting his innings short with a premature move to the pen. They can wait another 7 or 8 starts or so IMO.

Last edited by mth123; 06-24-2010 at 06:40 PM.

"All I can tell them is pick a good one and sock it." --BABE RUTH

Having better players makes "the right time" or "the big hit" happen a lot more often. PLUS PLUS

Re: Reds will look at bullpen for Chapman

Originally Posted by mth123

I repeat for the umpteenth time - 125 IP in the AAA rotation and 20 to 25 IP in the Reds pen in August and September. It prepares him for a bigger load next year when he's likely rotation bound, gets his feet wet and acclimiation to the big leagues out of the way and hopefully helps the Reds down the stretch in the race. Until then, there are other arms to audition in various roles including Wood, Maloney, Bray, Burton and maybe Valiquette while also possibly getting another look at Fisher and Del Rosario and trying to figure how Bailey, Volquez and Lecure all fit.

The Reds don't need to jeopardize 2011 and Chapman's likely spot in the rotation by cutting his innings short with a premature move to the pen. They can wait another 7 or 8 starts or so IMO.

i'm curious. i believe you didn't like my suggestion of moving Leake to the pen at a certain point yet you suggest a similar scenario for Chapman. why the difference in the way you would approach these two young pitchers?

Re: Reds will look at bullpen for Chapman

Originally Posted by Will M

i'm curious. i believe you didn't like my suggestion of moving Leake to the pen at a certain point yet you suggest a similar scenario for Chapman. why the difference in the way you would approach these two young pitchers?

Good question. I probably don't have a good enough answer, but I think Leake's ability to keep hitters off balance by a varying assortment of pitches strikes me as a guy who is just made for going through a line-up three times and much of that value is lost in 1 or 2 inning stints. I'd rather ride Leake's rotational strengths for a few more starts, than move him to the pen to get more days out of him.

As for Chapman, his strengths are accentuated in short stints by coming out of the pen throwing 100 MPH and slamming the door shut.

That said, if moving Leake to the pen is what it takes to keep the team from pushing him past 175 IP, I'm all for it.

"All I can tell them is pick a good one and sock it." --BABE RUTH

Having better players makes "the right time" or "the big hit" happen a lot more often. PLUS PLUS

Re: Reds will look at bullpen for Chapman

Originally Posted by mth123

Good question. I probably don't have a good enough answer, but I think Leake's ability to keep hitters off balance by a varying assortment of pitches strikes me as a guy who is just made for going through a line-up three times and much of that value is lost in 1 or 2 inning stints. I'd rather ride Leake's rotational strengths for a few more starts, than move him to the pen to get more days out of him.

As for Chapman, his strengths are accentuated in short stints by coming out of the pen throwing 100 MPH and slamming the door shut.

That said, if moving Leake to the pen is what it takes to keep the team from pushing him past 175 IP, I'm all for it.

Board Moderators may, at their discretion and judgment, delete and/or edit any messages that violate any of the following guidelines: 1. Explicit references to alleged illegal or unlawful acts. 2. Graphic sexual descriptions. 3. Racial or ethnic slurs. 4. Use of edgy language (including masked profanity). 5. Direct personal attacks, flames, fights, trolling, baiting, name-calling, general nuisance, excessive player criticism or anything along those lines. 6. Posting spam. 7. Each person may have only one user account. It is fine to be critical here - that's what this board is for. But let's not beat a subject or a player to death, please.

Thank you, and most
importantly, enjoy yourselves!

RedsZone.com is a privately owned website and is not affiliated with the Cincinnati Reds or Major League Baseball